control group
3 synonyms and 2 antonyms for control group, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — In an experiment, the group of participants or samples that does not receive the treatment being tested, used as a baseline against which the treated group is compared.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
comparison group
reference group
Antonyms
treatment group
experimental group
How to use control group
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
a randomised control group
assigned to the control group
compared with the control group
no control group
Standard scientific and statistical vocabulary.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a control group and an experimental group?
The experimental group receives the treatment or intervention under investigation; the control group is handled identically in every other respect but does not receive it. Comparing the two shows how much of any change can be credited to the treatment itself.
Is a control group the same as a placebo group?
A placebo group is one kind of control group, used where participants might improve simply because they believe they are being treated. Other controls receive nothing at all, or the existing standard treatment, depending on what the study needs to rule out and what is ethical.
Why does an experiment need a control group?
Because people and systems change for many reasons — time, attention, natural recovery, chance. A control group experiences all of those influences without the treatment, so any extra difference in the treated group can reasonably be attributed to the treatment.
